The fight for a new union law in the US

Paul Jay speaks to Leo Gerard, President of the United Steelworkers about the low unionization rate in the United States, and how the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) will help combat it. Gerard says that “it’s not only the lowest rate of unionization in the industrialized world; it’s one of the lowest rates of unionization even in the developing world. It’s lower than Mexico and Brazil, as an example.” He goes on to say that “part of the reason that we have the economic collapse in this country is because the rate of unionization is such that too many people are left out of the ability to bargain for a share of the wealth that they helped create or the service they helped provide.”

Leo W. Gerard is a steelworker and president of the United Steelworkers (USW). He was involved in the formation of the Industrial Union Council of the AFL-CIO, and in February 2003, was appointed to serve on the AFL-CIO’s Executive Committee, as well as serving on its Executive Council. He was named Chair of the AFL-CIO’s Public Policy Committee in March 2005.